Foundation garment



March 12, 1940. M. GROSS FOUNDATION GARMENT 2 Sheets Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1938 INVENTOR Maril n. Gross BY ATTORNEY March 12, 1940. GROSS 2,193,171

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed April 22, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYENTOR Marian Grass ATTORN EY Patented Mar. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES P E T orries 1 FOUNDATION GARMENT Martin Gross," New York, N. Y. 7 Application April 27., weasel-ran No. 203,505 1 claim (e1. 2438) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a corset or the like foundationgarment.

More specifically, the invention proposes the construction of a corset or :the. like foundation garment characterizedby a strip of cloth material formed from several sections in a longitudinal line for encircling ones body, and which is provided at its adjacent free ends with a novel means for closing the strip of material for holding the same in position upon the body.

Still further it is proposed to characterize the holding means by stationary hook fasteners mounted on the ends of the strip above the horizontal center thereof and by slide fasteners mounted on the ends of the strip belowthe hori-&

zontal center-thereof.

Still further it is proposed to provide a means for adjustably connecting together the adjacent back edges of the sections forming said cloth.

strip for permitting the diameter of said garment to be adjusted so as to be capable of engagement upon different people. I

I Still further it is proposed to provide ameans for adjustably connecting the stringers of the slide fastener to the edge portions of said strips for assisting in controlling the diameter of the garment.

Forfurther comprehension of the invention; and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a-corset or the like foundation garment constructed according to this invention. .1 c

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the front of the garment in the open position Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional viewon the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. r

Fig. 5 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 but illustrating a modification of the invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a partial rear elevational view of a garment constructed according to a still further mod ification of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7 illustrating a further modification of the invention.

The corset or the like foundation garment comprises a strip of cloth material ID for encircling the body. The strip of cloth material is formed from several sections M in longitudinal line. A means is provided for adjustably connecting the back vertical edge portions w in such a manner 5- that the *diameter thereof may be adjusted 'for increasing or decreasing the same to meet various requirements. I

The means for adjustably connecting together the back vertical edge portions of the sections Ii! comprises a lace Ii which is adaptedto be passed through openings 12 formed along thevertical edge portions of the section Ill The'lace V I i may be shiftedfor increasing or decreasing the space between these vertical edge portions of the 15 g sections for increasing or decreasingthc diameter thereof. I I

Reinforcement stays are mounted on the strip for supporting portions of ones body. At the top of'the strip, elastic members I3 are connected be-- 20.

tween portions of the strip for compressing the abdomen. Below these elastic members nonelastic material It is securely attached atone edge to a portion of the cloth strip ill and its free edge is connected withan' elastic member I5 which in turnhas its'freeedge connected to still another portion of the clothstrip It for assisting the corset inshaping and compressing the. thighs. Longitudinal bone or'sprin'g steel stays I 6 are mounted along the vertical length of thefgarment. 3.0.;

and are securely attached in position bymeans of stitches II. l Garter support elements I8 are securely attached to the bottom edges of the cloth strip'rnaterial for properly supporting stockings, and still. other garter support elements 89 are attachedto the .non elastic material It at the bottom edge there-- of. These support elements I9 also assist in supporting the stockings.

Stationary hook fasteners are mounted on the 4.0:: ends of the sections Ill forming the cloth strip I 0 above the horizontal center of the strip for closing the top portion of the garment. Thesesta tionary fasteners areat the front of the garment and comprise strips of rigid material 20attachecl to the edge portions of the sections Ill and upon which the hook fasteners are mounted. Headed studs 2| are mounted on the strip of rigid material at one side of the front opening and are adapted to be engaged by complementary eyelets 22 attached to the other strip of rigid material for holding the top portion of the garment in its closed position.

A slide fastener 23 is mounted on the adjacent edge portions of the sections Ill forming the for closing the bottom portion of the garment.'

The slide fastener is characterized by stringer elements 23 securely attached to the edge por tions of the sections Ili I-Iookless fasteners 23 are mounted on the free edges of the stringers 23 and a control slide 23 is provided for engaging and disengaging the hookless fasteners 23 for opening and closing the said garment.

The edge portions of the sections w forming the garment is of double layer material as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and the edge portions of the stringers 23 are inserted between the layers and extend therefrom. A double layer covering strip 24 is securely attached at one of its edges to the edge portion of one of the sections Ill andis adapted to extend across the back face of the slide fastener in the closed position of the garment for preventing these slide fasteners from coming in directv contact with the body.

The operation of this device is as follows:

The stationary hook fasteners are mounted on the upper ends of the sections of the garment for opening the top portion of said garment and the control slide 23 of the slide fastener 23 is moved downwards to open the bottom portion of the garment. The garment is then positioned on the body and the eyelets 22 are engaged onthe headed studs 2| for closing the top portion of the garment to position the same upon the body. The control slide 23 is moved to its closed position for closing the bottom portion of the garment and to assist the stationary hook fasteners in properly holding the garment in position upon the body. The garter support elements l8 and I9 may then be engaged withthe top of the hose for also holding these in their proper position.

According to the modification shown in Figs.

5 and 6, a means is provided for adjustably connecting the stringers 23 of the slide fastener 23 with the edge portions of the sections Ill forming the cloth strip ID for permitting the diameter of the bottom portion of the garment to be in- 1 creased or decreased as desired.

This means includes the stringers 23 which are provided with openings 25; The edge portions of the stringers 23* are inserted between the double layer of material 26 which is free at its adjacent edge portions for forming a pocket into which the free edge of the stringers may be engaged. A portion I of the sections Ill forming the garment extend into the pockets 26 formed by the double layer of material. This 1 inwardly extending portion Ill is provided with eter of the bottom portion of the garment.

Thus when the garment is positioned upon the body and it is found that the bottom portion thereof is too tight, the diameter thereof may be increased by bending the panels forming the pocket 26 back to permit the lace 28 to be adjusted to increase the space between the adjacent edge portions of the stringers 23 and the section Ill In other respects this form of the invention is similar to the previous form.

According to the modification shown in Fig. 7, the adjacent back edge portions of the sections "Ill forming the cloth strip Ill are fixedly connected together by means of a line of stitches These stitches 29 take the place of the lace l l used in the previous forms of the invention and in other respects it is similar to the previous form.

According to the modification shown in Fig. 8, the stitches -29 for connecting the back edge portions of the sections Ill extend only partially to the bottom of the garment and a slide fastener 30 is provided for connecting the remaining portions of the sections Ill In other respects this form of the invention is similar to that described relative to Fig. '7.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A foundation garment of cloth material having a vertical opening along the median line thereof, the material adjacent each edge of the opening having vertical strips of cloth secured to the inner and outer sides thereof and extending partially across said opening, the upper portion of the free edges of said inner and outer strips being secured together and having separable fastener elements permanently attached thereto for closing the upper portion of the garment, the lower free vertical edge portions of said strips being unconnected, a slide fastener for closing the lower portion of said garment, said slide fastener having stringer elements, and adjustable means normally covered by said strips for connecting the stringer elements of said slide fastener to the lower vertical edge portions of said material, said means comprising rows of eyelets adjacent the edges of said material and said stringers,respectively, and a lacing engageable through said eyelets, whereby the distance between said stringers and said material may be altered for adjusting the circumference of the lower portion of said garment.

MARTIN GROSS.- 

